Faceplate mounting for electrical device



Dec. 30, 1941. c. T. VON HOLTZ 2,267,771

FACEPLATE MOUNTING FOR ELECTRlCAL DEVlCEh- Filed Oct. 8, 1938 Patented Dec. 30, 1941 FACEPLATE MOUNTING FOR ELECTRICAL DEVICES Charles Theodore Von Holtz, Bridgeport, Conn.,

assignor to Harvey Hubbell, Incorporated,

Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 8, 1938, Serial No. 233,949

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electrical devices of the type to be mounted in wall outlet boxes and has particular relation to the fastening or securing of plates to or over such devices after they have been mounted in a wall, baseboard or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a means whereby a screw securing a face plate over an outlet receptacle or the like cannot be t ghtened to any such extent as to cause cracking bf the plate when of frangible material or bending of it when of sheet metal or the like.

Another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive means whereby the face plates of outlet receptacles and the like may be easily and quickly secured in place.

Other objects and advantages will become a parent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention and oi the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showing the manner of securing a face plate over a wall outlet receptacle, a portion of the face plate being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the installation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view showing a face plate securing screw receiving element employed;

Fig. 4 is an edge elevational view of the element of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view on a greatly enlarged scale and showing the head portion of the screw receiving element.

The usual way of mounting a face plate over these electrical devices is by means of a screw threaded into a tapped opening in a rivet or bolt in the body. This requires threading up the screw in mounting the plate and if the screw is threaded up too tight the plate is apt to be broken if it is of molded material or bent if of metal. It is an object of this invention to provide a construction which cannot be tightened enough to break or bend the plate and which can be applied much more quickly than the usual screw.

Referring in detail to the drawing at I0 is shown by way of example a wall outlet receptacle mounted in a wall box Ii secured as to the lathe l2 by means of clips l3 and screws H and Ma. This body has the usual recesses not shown in which the receptacle contacts are mounted and the front wall has the openings or slots 1 and 8 leading to these recesses for insertion of the contact blades of connector caps in the usual manner. The invention, however, is not limited to use with outlet receptacles but may be used also with other electrical devices such as switches and the like. Secured to the insulating body I! of the receptacle ill by a yoke I6 is an insulating cover plate 6 closing the rear side of the recesses for the receptacle contacts. The yoke includes a part I! extending across the inner or rear side of the body I5 and having arms I 8 arranged at the ends of the body. Each of the arms l8 carries a flange l9 and such flanges may be provided with the detachable cars 20 as desired. Screws 2| passing through an elongated opening l9 in the flanges I9 and threaded into ears I on the wall box serve to secure the yoke l6 and thus the entire receptacle ill in the box ll.

Over the receptacle I0 is arranged any or the usual face plate 22 which may be of moulded material, such for example as Bakelite" or the like, or which may be of metal if desired. Plate 22 is secured in place in engagement with the face of the wall or plaster 5 by means of ascrew 23 cooperating with a receiving element 24 located in the body of the receptacle. Element 2| is formed of a piece of flat metal stock and at its inner end includes a portion 25 the extreme inner end oi which is passed through the connecting portion ll of the yoke 18 and then clinched or spun over as at 26 whereby the element is secured to the yoke. This element secures the yoke l6 and cover plate 6 to the body it being provided with shoulders 24a seating on shoulders 21:: in the recess 21 in the body in which member 24 is located.

Element 24 extends forwardly in the body I! of the receptacle and is located in the recess 21 in the body which is oblong or slot-like whereby the element is held against any turning movement relative to the body. The forward portion of element 24 comprises a headlike part which is bifurcated whereby to provide portions 28 and 29 spaced apart, and on their opposing edges are notched or toothed as at 30. Inwardly of their teeth the portions 28 and 29 are integral but such portions may yield relatively with a spring action as will appear.

When a face plate is to be mounted over the electrical device, such for example as an outlet with the element 26 the securing screw may be threaded into the element, the threads of the screw cooperating with the or the element. Since the portions 28 and 2&3 oi the element are resilient they may yield relatively and thus the securing screw 23 cannot be tightened myond a predetermined amount.

That is, the screw may be tightened to a givcnl ughtness and if any attempt is made to tighten this screw excessively or beyond this point the portions 25 and 2% of the element will yield out= or away from one another under camming action of the screw threads and teeth and the will simply rotate without becoming any tighter. Thus it is impossible to tighten the screw any such extent as to result in breaking of the lace plate where the latter is 01 frangible mate= rial or to bend the face plate where it is of metal.

To remove the face plate, as when the receptacle is to be renewed it is but necesary to rotate the screw 23 in a direction to unscrew it from the element 25 As shown at 39 in Fig. 5 the out-er or upper surfaces oi the teeth so are beveled or inclined while their inner or lower surfaces are at a much steeper angle or approach being substantially straight across as at 32. Therefore when the face plate is being secured in place the operator may simply push the screw 28 into the element 261, the beveled surfaces 36 permitting the threads on the screw to slide over the teeth 30. Thus the screw may be quickly applied as it is not necessary to rotate it in doing so as in the usual construction. However, owing to the steeper angle of the inner surfaces 32 of the teeth til the sauring screw may not be removed from the element 2 1 except by rotation in a direction to unscrew it from the teeth 85 of the element.

From the above it will be seen that when the receptacle is equipped with the face plate securlug screw receiving means or element 26 the securing screw may not be unduly tightened. Also the element provides means whereby face plates may be very easily and quickly applied to a receptacle or the like and yet are firmly held and can be removed only in the usual manner.

Having thus set forth the nature of my inventlon, what I claim is:

1. An electrical device comprising a body oi insulating material, a mounting yoke including a portion extending across the inner side of said body, a face plate securing screw receiving eleaaerg'rrr.

ment in said body and anchored at its inner end to said portion of the yoke and bifurcated at its outer end for the reception of a screw, teeth on the opposed edges of said bifurcated portion for engagement with the threads of a screw, the opposite edges of the teeth being inclined in opposite dlrections with the angle of inclination on the inner side steeper than that on the outer side, and said portion being resilient with the sides thereof free to move laterally so that they may yield outwardly under camming action of the screw threads on each of the sides of the teeth.

2. An electrical device including a body of insulating material, a face plate securing screw receiving element carried by said body, said element comprising a pair of spaced portions having teeth on their opposing edges for cooperation with the threads of a. screw, said portions oelng outwardly yieldable relatively to each other, each of said teeth being inclined on its outer side at an angle to have a camming action on the threads to separate the portions to permit the screw to be inserted byv being pushed in with longitudinal movement only and without turning, and each tooth being inclined at a much steeper angle on its inner side whereby the screw shank must be rotated to thread it outwardly from between such portions but the teeth may have a cammlng action on the threads to separate the said portlons so the threads may pass over the teeth from one to another to prevent the screw being tightened beyond a predetermined limit.

3. An electrical device including a body of insulating material, a face plate securing screw receiving element carried by said body, said element comprising a pair of spaced portions having teeth on their opposing edges for cooperation with the threads of a rotatable screw to hold the screw in place, said portions being resilient and laterally yieldable, said teeth being inclined .on their outer faces at such an angle as to have a. camming action on the screw threads to separate said portion by longitudinal sliding movement of the screw whereby a screw may be pushed into position between said portions by sliding over the said inclined Sides of the teeth, and said teeth being inclined at a steeper angle on their inner faces to engage the threads such as to re quire turning of the screw to remove it from the member.

CHARLES THEODORE VON HOL'IZ. 

